Automobiles and other vehicles comprise many independent electrical components which are powered by the battery and/or by the generator of the vehicle. Electrically operated components may include sound systems, temperature control systems, dash board indicators, external light groups, powered windows or locks, fuel injection systems, windshield wipers, defrosters and many other components. The various electronic circuits into which these components are incorporated include fuses to control the amount of current delivered to the components or conductors associated therewith and to prevent damage resulting from excess current loads.
The typical automotive fuse comprises a pair of spaced apart and generally planar blade terminals which are disposed to lie in generally a common plane. The blade terminals typically are connected to one another by a fuse wire which is manufactured to break if subjected to a current level in excess of a specified maximum. The fuse wire and portions of each blade terminal typically are mounted in a nonconductive housing, with opposed portions of each blade terminal extending from the housing. The automotive fuses are removably mountable in fuse blocks. In particular, the fuse block will comprise pairs of blade receiving terminals disposed in spaced relationship for receiving the blades of the automotive fuse. The spaced apart blade receiving terminals in each pair are connected to conductive leads of a circuit. The circuit is completed by insertion of the fuse into the blade receiving terminals. If the specified current level of the circuit is exceeded, the fuse wire will break, thereby interrupting the circuit and preventing damage.
Many times the owner of a vehicle will elect to install additional electrically powered accessories. Such accessories might include additional sound system equipment, external lighting groups or electrically operated gauges, to name a few. The accessory equipment desirably should be protected by fuses. However, the retro-fitting of the original equipment guse box or other original equipment circuitry on the vehicle may often go beyond the technical capabilities of the vehicle owner. Installation of equipment without proper fuses can damage the equipment being installed. Additionally, alterations to the original equipment circuitry may void a new vehicle warranty and can damage portions of the original electronic system. Thus, for the installation of even simple electrical accessories, the vehicle owner may be required to employ a service facility authorized by the manufacturer of the original equipment. The original equipment supplier and its authorized dealers will generally charge extremely initated prices for even simple electrical work on a vehicle, and often will offer only a narrow range of approved accessories.
The prior art includes many fuse block structures. However, most of the relevant prior art is directed to particular constructions for original equipment fuse blocks. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,683 which issued to Ballarini on Aug. 21, 1984 shows a fuse block assembly that can be altered depending upon the number of circuits and fuses required. However, each modular component of the assembly shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,683 must be incorporated directly into the electrical circuitry of the board onto which the fuse block is mounted. Thus, even though the fuse block shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,683 can be expanded, significant revisions to the original equipment circuitry must be made.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,109 issued to Cross on June 27, 1978 and shows an original equipment terminal block that contemplates the possible addition of accessories. The original equipment terminal block includes a cavity into which a correspondingly configured electrical connector can be inserted. This electrical connector includes conductive leads that extend to the new accessory, and further includes a socket for receiving a fuse. The apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,109 requires the specially constructed original equipment terminal block which contemplates the addition of possible accessories. Thus, the teaching of U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,109 would be of no help to the owner of a vehicle having electrical circuitry that was not previously constructed for accepting additional electrical connectors.
In view of the above, it is an object of the subject invention to provide an accessory fuse block to enable electrical accessories to be added to a vehicle.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide an accessory fuse block that can be incorporated into the electrical system of a vehicle without revisions to the original circuitry of the vehicle.
It is a further object of the subject invention to provide apparatus for safely installing accessory electrical equipment into a vehicle.
An additional object of the subject invention is to provide an accessory fuse block that can be plugged directly into the existing fuse block of a vehicle.